Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja
Worried by the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore Yagba West I and ll Constituencies despite land mark court judgement, the concerned constituents have urged the electoral umpire to restore the two suppressed state constituencies.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Publisher of Kogi-based magazine, Policy and Lawmakers, Mr. Friday Ogungbemi, copy of which was made available to journalists in Lokoja yesterday.
“The people of these two state constituencies (Yagba West I and Yagba West II) have for a long time suffered a lot of set back as a result of the failure of INEC to restore their various constituencies since the present political dispensation.
This, he said, has inadvertently denied the people of the constituencies adequate representation in act of governance within the state.
“This call becomes imperatives for the INEC to consider these two constituencies that were earlier created in the year 1991 for the general election into the State House of Assembly then.
“It has therefore, become very necessary to enforce the recent Federal High Court judgement order in Suit No: FHC/LKJ/CS/01/2026 delivered in Lokoja directing the INEC to restore and conduct elections in the suppressed constituencies in Kogi State.
“Justice Isah Danshan’s declaration ordered that elections must be conducted in the suppressed constituencies.
“He lamented the injustice over the years, particularly that available fact point to the existence of those constituencies at the creation of the state.
”Having been proven beyond reasonable fact, INEC must, without hesitation, conduct elections in the suppressed constituencies in 2027,” Justice Danshan said.
The people of Yagba West LGA therefore, call on INEC to, without further delay, begin the process of enlisting the two constituencies currently omitted in line with the press release issued by INEC titled: “Conduct of Party Primaries in the Restored Constitutuencies in Benue, Delta, Jigawa and Kogi States for Election”, signed by Muhammad Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee dated 10th June, 2026, to conduct elections in the deserving constituencies, insisting that the injustice over the years has to be corrected.
The above mentioned press release revealed a high level of inconsistencies in INEC electoral processes when viewed with INEC letter references; INEC/HQ/EOPS/DEL/S. 32/213 dated 30th April, 2026 titled, “Commencement of Technical Process Towards the Restoration of Suppressed State Constituencies addressed to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (Delta, Kogi, Jigawa and Benue States) and signed by Dr. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary to the Commission.
The letter in part read: “The Commission, at its meeting held on 30 April 2026, approved the commencement of technical processes towards the restoration of the 20 court ordered suppressed Constituencies in Kogi (11), Delta (4), Benue (5) and Jigawa (1).
With the judgement, INEC is expected to revive and conduct elections in 36 constituencies in 2027 rather than the 25 Constituencies in previous elections.
